A Travel Guide to Paris: How to plan a French Trip
Paris is one of Europe’s and the world’s most visited cities, and it’s simple to understand why the City of Lights continues to enchant visitors. Paris is France’s capital, with a thriving financial, fashion, and bohemian scene surrounded by the enchantment of 17th-century architecture and a rich scandalous past. Paris is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. It is famous worldwide for the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Eiffel Tower. It is known for being a romantic and cultural city. The city is also well-known for its high-quality culinary and rooftop cafes.’
Getting around in Paris
The Paris public transportation system is one of the most extensive and efficient in the country. The ways to get around in the city are:
Metro: Metro is the cheapest, easiest and fastest way to get around Paris It is the world’s second busiest metro system, with trains running from 5:30 a.m. to 1:15 a.m. on weekdays and until 2:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Trains arrive every few minutes, so you should never have to wait more than 5 minutes for the next one.
E-scooters – Electric scooters have fast become a popular mode of transportation in Paris. There are a few other firms, such as Lime and Tier, but most are about the same price: roughly 1 EUR to unlock the scooter, then 15-.20 EUR each minute after that.
Taxi: Another option for getting around the city is to take a taxi, the base fare is €7.30, and the per-kilometre fare is €1.09. Standing and waiting time is charged at €33.48 per hour. Except Monday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m., these costs will not be applicable. Since cabs are so costly, it is advisable to avoid them.
Velib: Vélib is the world’s first self-service bicycle rental plan that is a fantastic way to tour the city and burn calories after a day of feasting. With charging facilities for mechanical (green) and electric (blue) bicycles, the service will be available 24 hours a day, in around 60 places in the Greater Paris area.
Paris city buses: Buses are also the most convenient way to move around the city. One of the biggest advantages of taking the bus over the metro is that passengers can enjoy the scenery while passing by many of the city’s top attractions and neighbourhoods. It costs 1.90 EUR if you already have a single-use metro or bus ticket. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay 2 EUR for a bus ticket.
RER: The RER is an above-ground train with five lines that serve Paris. It operates similarly to the metro and accepts the same tickets, except you must use your ticket at the automated gates on your way out of the station. If you need to connect with the metro, you can use the same ticket.
How to save money on your Paris trip
Paris is an expensive destination, so finding solutions to save money is essential. There are several options to save money while still savouring the city’s beauty, charm, and gastronomy. Some methods to save money in Paris include:
- Buy a metro card or a day pass: With over 300 metro stations, it’s simple to navigate Paris using public transportation. A day pass costs 13.20 EUR, while a 10-ticket package, known as a carnet, costs 16.90 EUR both of these are much cheaper than paying 1.90 EUR for an individual ticket. The ParisVisite day pass also includes discounts on certain key Parisian attractions.
- Stay with a local: Use applications like Couchsurfing to find a host who will provide you with a place to stay, kitchen facilities, and a local friend to show you around. This can help you save a significant amount of money.
- Acquire a Paris museum pass: There are numerous museums in Paris to visit, but they may be expensive, therefore it is advised that you get a Paris museum pass, a prepaid card that grants entrance to over 70 museums and landmarks across Paris. A two-day admission costs €52, a four-day pass is €66, and a six-day pass is €78. This is ideal for museum-goers who can save money by visiting multiple museums in the city.
- Buy the Paris pass: This is an upgraded version of the Paris Museum Pass designed for visitors who want to complete a lot of touring quickly. A two-day pass costs 109 EUR, a three-day card costs 129 EUR, a four-day pass costs 149 EUR, and a six-day pass costs 169 EUR. It comes with a ton of attractions (75+ attractions), the option to avoid lines, and a hop-on, hop-off bus tour in addition to everything in the Paris Museum Pass.
- Visit Museum for free: This is an essential tip that might save you a lot of money: every month on the first Sunday, all national museums provide free entry. Be prepared for potentially enormous crowds and long lines if you visit on this day.
- Cooking: There are numerous restaurants and cafes in Paris where you can dine out, but they don’t come cheap and can even empty your wallet, so the best way to save money is to do your shopping and purchase bread, cheese, and meat from local shops and cook your meals. Many hostels, campsites, and guesthouses provide kitchens where visitors can prepare meals.
Best places to visit in Paris
Some of the best places to visit in Paris are the following:
Eiffel Tower
St. Paul’s Cathedral, London’s most renowned cathedral, constructed between 1675 and 1711, contains one of the world’s largest domes and the Whispering Gallery, a famous place in the structure owing to how effectively sound travels through it. A crypt is placed on the lower floor of the church, where the tombs of various prominent persons from London’s history, including the Duke of Wellington, Christopher Wren, and Admiral Nelson, can be found. If you want to go, you can find out the time and buy tickets on their website.
The Eiffel Tower, one of France’s most famous landmarks, is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Paris. The Eiffel Tower is a wrought iron lattice tower named after architect Gustave Eiffel. The highest tower in Paris is 1063 feet tall, with three levels accessible to the public.
The most prominent aspect of the first floor of the Eiffel Tower is the glass floor, as well as numerous other enthralling attractions such as cultural exhibitions, film projections, restaurants, replicas of many historical artifacts, digital albums, and many more. The Eiffel Tower’s second floor is a popular zone with a stunning observation deck offering a wonderful view of Paris and a Michelin-starred restaurant named Jules Verne.
At a height of 276 metres, the top of the Eiffel Tower brings you another level of experience. There is an interior and outdoor observation deck at the summit. Everything is silent up here, yet the sound of the wind blowing while you take in the amazing vistas of the city adds to the dreaminess.
Louvre Museum
The Louvre Museum, located in the heart of Paris, is the world’s most visited and famous art museum and gallery. The baroque-style architecture makes it the most attractive spot to see in Paris. The museum has up to 35,000 works, including countless artifacts, jewellery, and paintings. The exotic museum is divided into numerous areas, including Egyptian antiquities, oriental antiquities, Islamic art, Greek and Roman art, medieval sculptures, and graphic art. A variety of nearby attractions, including Place Colette, Place de la Concorde, and the Eiffel Tower, surround the museum.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Notre Dame Cathedral is a Gothic architectural masterpiece and one of the most visited landmarks in Paris. Its charm resides in its ruins, incredible sculptures, gargoyles, and domed roofs. Visitors come to admire the cathedral’s beauty as a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture. The wonderfully stained, gorgeous windows here filter every ounce of the ethereal light that hits the cathedral. The cathedral includes twin towers that are available to tourists. To access the tower, go via the left side of the front entrances and then climb the 387 steps. When you reach the summit, you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view like no other.
Arc De Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe commemorates those who fought and died for France throughout the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars by inscribing the names of all French triumphs and generals on its inner and exterior surfaces. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I is housed in its vault. The charm of the location is found in its gorgeous architecture. The amazing architecture of the site will undoubtedly captivate you. The view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe overlooking Paris and the 12 streets that converge in the region around the Arch is stunning.
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is a World Heritage Site and the former home of the French monarchy. It is famed for its massive and impressive structure, which features beautiful gardens, unique décor, a spectacular terrace, and a delightful exhibition of Renaissance-era artwork. The castle has over 2,300 rooms and a corridor of mirrors bought from Venice that will enchant anyone who visits.
Montmartre
Montmartre is one of Paris’s most renowned neighbourhoods, perched on the top of a tiny hill known for the white-domed Basilica and the busy Square of Tertre, this highland draws a large number of tourists. Montmartre is an amazing blend of art, music, and culture. As a visitor, the best thing to do is walk through the streets and visit the museums, art galleries, and other cultural hotspots. This is a haven for all art enthusiasts and the ideal spot in Paris to see amazing artwork.
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier is a historic opera building in Paris that hosts some of the world’s top theatrical and operatic performances. The whole Garnier Opera is a great work of classicism and eccentricity. The large chandelier hanging from the ceiling, wooden carvings, paintings, and artwork displayed in the main entrance, a staircase, a stage fly tower, a magnificent lobby, and pavilions make it one of the top places to see in Paris.
Latin Quartier
The Latin Quarter is well-known for its educational institutions and research centres, as well as Paradis Latin, one of Paris’s oldest cabarets, created by Gustave Eiffel himself. Other nearby sights include apple orchards, the Medici fountain, the Orangerie, and a bronze replica of the Statue of Liberty. Unlike other parts of Paris that have a modern appearance, the Latin Quarter of Paris retains the mediaeval age atmosphere that attracts tourists.
Centre Pompidou
The Centre Pompidou, created by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, is a masterpiece of twentieth-century architecture. This structure holds a library, a museum, and a music and acoustic research centre. Every year, it also serves as the location for various notable exhibits in France. Millions of visitors visit every year because of its huge collections, exhibits, musical events, cutting-edge architecture, and outstanding aesthetic appeal.
Mont Saint Michel
Mont Saint Michel is a medieval hamlet built on a granite cliff on an island. It’s easy to get lost in the maze of narrow streets, serpentine lanes, and hundreds of staircases. One of Mont-Saint best attractions is the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel, which is a masterpiece of engineering and architecture. The Abbey became a famous learning centre, drawing Europe’s finest manuscript illuminators.